Garrett: Lee to get ‘first crack’ at playing middle linebacker in 4-3 scheme

INDIANAPOLIS – With the Cowboys changing from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense this spring, one of the most revered positions in club history has been resurrected.

Middle linebacker.

Jerry Tubbs manned the spot for Tom Landry from the club’s inception in 1960 through the 1965 season, when he yielded to Lee Roy Jordan. The rugged Alabama alum held the job for the next 11 seasons, earning five trips to the Pro Bowl and a spot in the Ring of Honor. In 1977, Bob Breunig took over, holding the job through the 1984 season and earning three trips to the Pro Bowl. Eugene Lockhart, Robert Jones, Ken Norton, Randall Godfrey and Dat Nguyen also had memorable turns manning the spot.

Now it looks like Sean Lee will follow in their footsteps, earning the nod over Bruce Carter.

“We’re still working through that, but both guys (Lee and Carter) are capable of doing it,” coach Jason Garrett said Friday. “I think Sean Lee will get first crack at it. But we’ll see once we get on the football field.”

Either way, Garrett expects Lee and Carter to make a smooth transition to the 4-3, although both are coming off injuries (Lee, toe; Carter, elbow).

“We felt great about how those guys fit into it,” Garrett said. “They both did a really good job as 3-4 inside linebackers and I think we have a really good tandem playing the inside there…They both run to the ball really well. They make a lot of plays so we feel the transition at that second level will be fairly comfortable for those guys.”